Quick Hits

posted by Jay -
Oct 11, 2017

A new survey by AccounTemps finds that only 10% of CFOs are fine with workers being tardy as long as it doesn’t affect productivity, while 43% believe workers need to be on time so others can rely on them during specific hours. 58% of workers say they are occasionally late for work while 7% admit they're always late. CFOs have shared some of the oddball reasons employees have given for why they were late to the office They include:

"I drove to my old job out of habit."

"I thought I was still on vacation."

"I had nothing to wear."

"I thought it was Saturday."

My hair got caught in a fan."

"I super-glued my eye thinking it was contact solution."

"Geese chased me on my way to the car."

My cat delivered its litter of kittens."

"Someone spilled their coffee all over me on the way to work."

"I was stuck in an elevator with a kid that pushed the buttons for all of the floors."

A truck full of fish flipped over on the highway."

"My dog ate my car keys."

"I got locked in the gas station restroom and had to wait for someone to get me out."

According to a report published in “American Psychologist,” people who listen to others without actually seeing them are better able to determine that person’s emotional state. The tone of a person’s voice expresses emotion more than the face, where it’s easier to hide such emotions. “Less is more” when trying to figure out how people feel, because when you are just listening to a person you are focused on just that, but if you are both listening and looking your attention is divided.

Most Americans hoard their sick days until they’re forced to use one when they absolutely can’t drag their sickly body into the office. But those valuable sick days can also be used for a mental health day when your psychological and emotional health need some TLC. Some won’t admit when they feel stressed or anxious because they see it as a weakness, but taking a mental health day can give you more energy, help you manage stress, and boost productivity. Here are some signs you should give your brain a break ASAP.

You're exhausted and you can't sleep – When you overwork yourself mentally, it can lead to physical exhaustion. And when you’re not getting good sleep, your health takes a hit. Dealing with high stress levels all the time can lead to not being able to sleep even though you’re exhausted, so a day of catching up on rest can get you back on track.

You're more anxious than usual –If you’re feeling especially uneasy and can’t seem to shake it off or get back into your usual laid-back mood, a mental health day can help you relax and recharge.

You're feeling down in the dumps – A day of all play and no work can do wonders for your mood and help you reboot.

You're easily set off –We all snap from time to time, but when you’re always edgy and taking it out on loved ones, your frazzled nerves could use a break. Taking a day away from the stress could restore you and help you lose the irritability.

You keep getting sick – When you can’t shake the sniffles, it could be because you’re mentally burned out and taking a beat to rest and relax can boost your immune system.

You feel like you're in slow motion –We reach for coffee when we need to power through, but it can only takes us so far. It’s better to drink as much water as you can to hydrate and flush toxins, and stick to clean, healthy eating to stop feeling sluggish.

There’s nothing worse than ordering a pizza and having it arrive to your house lukewarmor cold. Well, Pizza Hut is out to change that. The company is introducing a new delivery pizza pouch, made with 3M Thinsulate Insulation thermal technology, as well as a re-engineered pizza box with crisp sheet inserts, that promises to bring your pizza to your door 15-degrees hotter than in the past. The boxes also include thicker sides that will keep it hot, and keep it in place during delivery.

As much as we love sweater weather, we dread the hunt for the fabric shaver to clean up all the pilling. We can’t make those little balls on your sweaters go away altogether, you’ll still need to de-pill once a season, but these tips can cut your fabric shaver use way down.

Consider these materials - Merino wool is soft, elastic, and breathable sheep’s wool that doesn’t pill as easily. Look for one with a low percentage of viscose material mixed in. The Woolmark logo indicates higher quality. And if you have a bigger budget, you can’t go wrong with thick cashmere. It doesn’t pill much and it’s heavy and soft, but it’ll cost you between $300 and $600 for a good sweater.

Avoid these materials- Wool and polyester blends can be hard to de-pill, so stay away from those. And avoid sweaters with three or more fibers, too.

Test the sweater in the store - If it’s already pilling in the store, that could be a sign of lower quality fibers. And no matter what the material is, look for a tightly spun yarn and a tight weave to prevent pilling and snagging. When you pull the sweater gently, it’s a good sign if it bounces right back into shape.

Take care of your sweater- Cross-body bags and jackets with rough linings can increase pilling, so try not to wear those with your sweater. But when those inevitable pills form, use a fabric comb, stone, or shaver to get rid of them or ask your dry cleaner if they can provide the service for you.